The invention relates to a pocket ashtray.
Pocket ashtrays for extinguishing burning smoking articles, by which commercial forms of smoking tobacco, such as, for example, cigars, cigarettes or cigarillos, are to be understood below, have long been known. These devices are generally used in activities where conventional ashtrays are not available and either soiling of the environment is to be avoided in principle or still glowing residues of smoking articles may give rise to danger, for example where there is an existing fire hazard. In addition, pocket ashtrays now have the status of an accessory which, for example, in a refined design, is regarded as a necessary accessory or serves as a gift, in particular as a give-away.
In the simplest form, these pocket ashtrays consist of a metal bowl which only permits a smoking article to be stubbed out. Improved forms also include the possibility of holding ash or other residues of smoked articles. These solutions generally comprise a hinged housing which in principle resembles a cigarette case. An example of this is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,285. Owing to the large orifice forming during use, the user may be contaminated through environmental influences, such as, for example, wind or rain. Furthermore sealing is relatively difficult and the locking mechanisms are generally relatively complicated.
A simple solution comprising a tube which can be closed by screwing on a cap is disclosed in Utility Model DE 296 20 481 U. Disadvantages prove to be the lack of possibility for extinguishing smoking articles and the necessity of having to unscrew the cap from the tube in each case for use, which requires a comparatively large number of turns of the cap and hence results in limited ease of handling.
Utility Model DE 200 18 982 U describes a cylindrical pocket ashtray which consists of two metal sleeves which can be pushed one into the other and which each have a longitudinal slot. By turning the sleeve, the slots can be made to coincide and the introduction of ash and smoking articles is possible. However, owing to the necessity of having to introduce smoking articles parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container, the size of the slots is relatively large, with the result that the disadvantages described above occur. A separate possibility for extinguishing embers is not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,709 describes a cylindrical pocket ashtray having an orifice in an end surface, which can be closed by a separate, spring-loaded flap. In addition, an embodiment for holding a lighter is described. A possibility for extinguishing embers is not described.
Thus, pocket ashtrays of the prior art have the disadvantage that they either have relatively large orifices with the disadvantages described above or rely on separate flaps for closing smaller orifices. Pocket ashtrays having only a single interior moreover have the disadvantage that either the embers have to be extinguished outside the pocket ashtray, which in turn gives rise to contamination and ignition problems, or extinguishing of the embers takes place in the interior, in which flammable or still consumable residues of smoking articles may then also be stored. However, a frequent requirement of smokers is precisely to extinguish only partly smoked cigarettes or cigars and to continue smoking them later on after safe storage.
The object of the present invention is to provide a pocket ashtray which is simple to handle and provides only small orifices dimensioned according to the smoking articles to be received or to be extinguished, so that contamination of the environment as well as effects of materials present in the interior of the pocket ashtray are minimized under all weather conditions.
A further object is to minimize the number of required components of the pocket ashtray while providing a surface design which is as smooth and hook-free as possible.
These objects are achieved, according to the invention, by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 3, respectively.
Advantageous and alternative designs and further developments of the pocket ashtray are evident from the features of the further dependent claims.
Because the pocket ashtray has a closable depression for stubbing out smoking articles, it is possible to store partly smoked articles free from dirt and with minimum danger of ignition.
The invention is based on the concept of minimizing the dimensions of an orifice in the end face of a hollow body suitable for receiving smoking articles. Closing is effected by turning a cap provided with an identical orifice or a specially shaped cap, with the result that the requirement for complicated closing mechanisms is dispensed with.
The formation of an additional depression in the same end surface of the hollow body permits separate extinguishing of the embers of a smoking article, separately from the interior of the hollow body. Access to this depression is ensured in turn through the orifice in the cap or its special shape, it being necessary for this purpose only to turn the cap to a different position.